The Daily News. TUESDAY, JANUARY 30 1912. DEMOCRATS AND ARISTOCRATS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 181, 30 January 1912, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, JANUARY 30 1912. DEMOCRATS AND ARISTOCRATS.

Once upon a time a great Democratic senator of America stated that King Edward (then Prince of Wales) only needed to show that he desired to be President of the United States to have the billet handed to him. It was a recognition that the sturdier the democrat is in his expression of the untruth that "that every man is equal" the more disposed is he to worship at the shrine of the exalted, whether the exaltation is a matter of blood (as in the case of the Duke of Connaught) or of genius (as in the case ,of Stonewall Jackson). The Duke of Connaught, the 'Royal Go-venor-General of Canada, has been frantically pursued by the American mob in New York, and it is rather a wonder that his Royal Highness, who can't help being a Royal Highness, is still in one piece. It is a very curious phase of human nature that it worships more the success that is accidental than the success that is attained, although, for want of something blue-blooded to worship, democrats have been known to tear the buttons from an American sailorman's clothes as mementoes, and democrat's wives, mothers and sweethearts to force unsought kisses on heroes of great and small exploit. Human beings, whether they are leaders of trades unions or merely "sons of a hundred earls," have a natural instinct for admiring the personage who is higher in the social or intellectual scale, and this is to be observed in every walk of life. The lower stratum imitates (or caricatures) the habit and extravagances of the next stratum; the successful tradesman likes to be called a merchant, the merchant an aristocrat, and so on. Even in Republican France, where the question of equality was thrashed out so bitterly, the people still "dearly love a lord," and France's own aristocracy is still proud of itself and the eternally admired of the '"bourgeoisie." In Xew Zealand anyone will tell you that "Jack is as good as his master," but both Jack and his master are still quite faithful in their admiration for "blood," although "Jack" may become profane in his alleged detestation of anything not quite like himself. America's passion for mating its women to any foreign aristocrat with a title as part of his stock-in-trade, is just as natural as the small boy's, admiration of his fellow boy who dominates the school. Xo one should blame the excited Americans for rushing the Duke of Connalight and trying to steal his bootlaces. The idea of equality palls, and violent democrats "break out" into aristocrat worship as a relief to their feelings, just as the back-country worker "goes on the spree" after being

solitary for a year. It is very necessary that all human beings should have ideals of conduct set them, and if it is impossible for a New York hobo to impress one with his Chesterfleldian manners, he may at least learn not' to expectorate so frequently in the presence of Chesterfiield's modern counterpart. If H.R.H. could be induced to drop in to New Zealand the brilliant light that at present beats on the Semples of the community might be agreeably deflected.

TERRITORIALS AND STRIKERS. The "anti-militarists" who object to the idea that any man should defend his "hearth and home" are still exciting themselves unnecessarily, although the territorial organisation is practically complete, and it is impossible that it (kould be upset by any small body of faddists. One reason why the "antidefenders" object to soldiering is that the Territorials may be called out at some future time to shoot down their fellow men who may happen to be on strike. The G.O.C. has been asked to state what would happen in time of serious strikes, and he, of course, has answered that the Territorials would not be called on, as they are embodied solely to resist attacks from the outside. The faddists have been guided in their query by the events during the strikes in the Old Land, a condition of affairs that can have no parallel in New Zealand for the next hundred years, unless the population grows quickly and enormously. The British Territorials took, no part whatever in the affrays in Britain, and only regular troops were used. It seems to be clear that the great mass of workers who were striking were not the people who made it necessary for troops to be used, for on any occasion of industrial unrest the ranks of the honest toilers are joined by adventurers who have nothing to lose and who make trouble for the love of it. The average New Zealander is more than ordinarily (lawabiding. The policing of this country shows this very clearly, for no other country has so few police per thousand of population. The inference by the "anti-defenders" that the New Zealand striker in the future is liable to need oppression by armed force is uncomplimentary and undeserved. In the course of time it is much more likely that industrial differences may be settled by even more pacific measures than are now employed. On the other hand, if it were possible for Territorial troops to be called on to suppress strike riots, it is unlikely that the troops would undertake the duty. In the case of the mutiny of irregular troops in a country having a regular army, the latter would be called on to deal with the irregulars. There is no other force than the Territorial force in New Zealand, so that there is >o probability under any consideration of conflicts between workers and soldiers.